Enhancing power generation of piezoelectric bimorph device through geometrical optimization

Action NECHIBVUTE, Albert CHAWANDA, Pearson LUHANGA

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PDF(334 KB)
Front. Energy ›› 2014, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (1) : 129-137. DOI: 10.1007/s11708-013-0289-z
RESEARCH ARTICLE
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Enhancing power generation of piezoelectric bimorph device through geometrical optimization

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Abstract

In this paper, it is demonstrated that the power output of a bimorph energy harvesting device can be significantly enhanced through geometrical optimization. The results of the study show that the maximum power is generated when the length of piezoelectric layer is 1/3 and the length of proof mass is 2/3 of the total device length. An optimized device with a total volume of approximately 0.5 cm3 was fabricated and was experimentally characterized. The experimental results show that the optimized device is capable of delivering a maximum power of 1.33 mW to a matched resistive load of 138.4 kΩ, when driven by a peak mechanical acceleration of 1  g at the resonance frequency of 68.47 Hz. This is a very significant power output representing a power density of 2.65 mW/cm3 compared to the value of 200 μW/cm3 normally reported in literature.

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Keywords

geometrical optimization / piezoelectric material / bimorph / energy harvesting / power

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Action NECHIBVUTE, Albert CHAWANDA, Pearson LUHANGA. Enhancing power generation of piezoelectric bimorph device through geometrical optimization. Front. Energy, 2014, 8(1): 129‒137 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-013-0289-z

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Midlands State University Research Board.

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2013 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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